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Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Restricted Project: Campus only access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nutrition Science

Department

Health Science and Human Ecology

First Reader/Committee Chair

Chen-Maynard, Dorothy

Abstract

Background and aims: Vegetarianism is a plant-based dietary pattern that eliminates animal flesh, such as meat, poultry, and fish, while some vegetarians consume dairy and eggs. Iron and protein deficiencies may occur among those who follow strict vegetarian/vegan diets. Heme-iron, present in animal foods where iron is bound to the protein hemoglobin, is more bioavailable than non-heme iron found in plant foods. Research studies have shown that vegetarians are at a higher risk for iron deficiency, especially among women of childbearing age, due to lower bioavailability. Additionally, animal proteins contain all essential amino acids, while most plant proteins are missing at least one essential amino acid. While people on a vegetarian diet are shown to have adequate protein intake and status, there is still a misconception that vegetarianism leads to protein deficiency. This project developed a cookbook and resource that provides recipes that are high in both iron and protein, along with educational resources on food ingredients that are rich in these nutrients and complementary proteins.

Methods: Recipes from various cuisines were conceptualized and identified from the internet, and they were modified with ingredients that are rich in iron and protein content. College students were recruited through flyers posted throughout California State University, San Bernardino, and by professors.  Students were encouraged to register for participation in the study, and they received recipes to prepare, taste, and evaluate them for ease of use, accuracy of recipes, and acceptability of the final product using an online survey. Participants will be enrolled in the study if they are over the age of 18 and have no dietary restrictions that would pose a safety risk. Food allergies were screened at the time when they consented to participate in the study.  Participants were not provided with recipes that contain offending ingredients.

Results: 15 out of 25 recipes were evaluated by participants for acceptability and ease of preparation. The evaluation surveys found the recipes acceptable but noted a need for clearer instructions. The feedback was used to further refine the recipes. The remaining 10 recipes were evaluated by the researchers due to time constraints. A cookbook featuring high-iron and high-protein recipes developed specifically for college students will be published and shared with the public.

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